High Court Judge Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail fixed May 10 for case management when Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial came up for hearing on Monday (April 9).
Lim’s lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo made the application for an adjournment, citing the Chief Minister’s duty to prepare for the upcoming general election.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Masri Mohd Daud objected to the application, saying that the court should proceed with the trial as the Election Commission has not fixed the polling date.
“This is a criminal case so the accused must be here for the trial.
“Since Lim Guan Eng can’t be in court due to the election process, we can’t proceed with the trial this week so I am allowing the application,” Hadhariah said.
She fixed May 10 for case management and the hearing of the case will continue on May 21 to 25.
Lim was at the Penang Governor’s residence this morning to seek consent for the dissolution of the state assembly and was not in court when Gobind applied for the postponement.
He only arrived in the courthouse after the case was adjourned at about 9.40am.